PBA commissioner Chito Salud will sit down with SBP president Manny Pangilinan to exchange thoughts on Gilas' campaign in the Fiba World Cup and Asian Games, respectively. Jerome Ascano

NOTWITHSTANDING the fate that befell Gilas Pilipinas in its campaign in the 17th Asian Games, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is already seeking to chart the course to be taken by the national team in the years ahead.

In consultation with the league board under chairman Patrick Gregorio, commissioner Chito Salud said a `critical analysis’ is in the offing for the Gilas program in the hope of coming up with a `consensus on how to pursue the program moving forward.’

“We’ve all been positively encouraged by the improvements in our performance, but I know many expect more in our future outings,” said Salud in a statement on the eve of the PBA board’s departure for Seoul, South Korea for its annual planning session.

“This is how it should be: consolidate the gains and then chart a course, so we exceed our current performance.”

Gilas Pilipinas had an inspiring run during the Fiba World Cup in Spain that saw the team engage world powers Argentina, Croatia, and Puerto Rico in tightly-fought matches, before finally recording the country’s first ever win in the tournament after four decades when it beat out Senegal in overtime, 81-79, during its final game in the preliminaries.

Unfortunately, it failed to sustain the gains it earned during the world championship when it failed to make the semifinals of the Asiad in Incheon, South Korea after losing its first two matches in the quarterfinals opposite Qatar and the host country.

Salud expressed his gratitude to team owners for lending their respective players and support for the national causehe before sitting down with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Manny V. Pangilinan of Talk `N Text to specifically `exchange thoughts on what happened in Spain and Korea.’

Salud’s talk with Pangilinan and consultation with the league board should be critical for Gilas Pilipinas especially ahead of its campaign in next year’s Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship which serves as the qualifier for the 2016 Rio De Jainero Olympics.